Vimeo revamped and almost ready for launch

YouTube's posher rival, Vimeo, has been "rebuilt from the ground up" and is ready to launch the redesign into a closed testing period, ahead of a full public release.

The revamped video on demand website will boast a 2x larger full-width player, more personalisation options, better site navigation and a whole host of new social network features.

There is a new discovery bar making it easier to find the videos that are causing a fuss online, as well as making it simpler to queue videos and create playlists. There's also a new recommendation engine which should hopefully mean you'll get access to the sort of video content that rocks your boat.

"Vimeo’s growth and dedication to maximising the user experience was the catalyst for this redesign," said Dae Mellencamp, Vimeo CEO. "The result protects the essence of Vimeo while allowing for future growth of audience and features in a simple, intuitive environment."

With an eye on the SOPA movement, the new Vimeo will also offer better access to Creative Commons licensed content.

Vimeo is inviting users to sign-up for the testing period - wider sign-ups will begin for Vimeo members "in several weeks".